3d-printed medical simulator and method

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) printed simulator that simulates at least a portion of a body is provided. The simulator includes a first simulated organ made of a first material having a first set of physical parameters, a second simulated organ made of a second material having a second set of physical parameters, and a transition layer made of a third material having a third set of physical parameters provided between the first simulated organ and the second simulated organ. The transition layer defines an anatomical plane between the first and second simulated organs.

1 . A three-dimensional (3D) printed simulator that simulates at least a portion of a body, the simulator comprising:
 a first simulated organ made of a first material having a first set of physical parameters;   a second simulated organ made of a second material having a second set of physical parameters; and   a transition layer made of a third material having a third set of physical parameters provided between the first simulated organ and the second simulated organ, the transition layer defining an anatomical plane between the first and second simulated organs.   
     
     
         2 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 1 , wherein the simulator is a surgical simulator configured to enable a user to perform a simulated surgical procedure on the simulator that simulates an actual surgical procedure that can be performed on a living patient. 
     
     
         3 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 1 , wherein the simulator is an educational simulator configured to educate users on the anatomy that the simulator simulates. 
     
     
         4 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 1 , wherein the first simulated organ comprises a simulated soft-tissue organ and the second simulated organ comprises simulated bone. 
     
     
         5 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 1 , wherein the first simulated organ comprises a first simulated soft-tissue organ and the second simulated organ comprises a second simulated soft-tissue organ. 
     
     
         6 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 1 , wherein the first simulated organ has a first hardness and the second simulated organ has a second hardness that is different from the first hardness. 
     
     
         7 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 6 , wherein the transition layer has a third hardness that is different from the first and second harnesses. 
     
     
         8 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 1 , wherein the transition layer simulates adhesion between the first and second simulated organs that would be encountered if the actual first and second organs were dissected during surgical procedure. 
     
     
         9 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 1 , wherein the simulator is a craniofacial simulator that simulates the organs of the head. 
     
     
         10 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 9 , wherein the craniofacial simulator includes simulated skin, galea, innominate fascia, periosteum, cranium, dura, and brain tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 10 , wherein the craniofacial simulator is fabricated by a 3D printer via an additive process in which printer material is deposited printed layer by printed layer in a continuous process. 
     
     
         12 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 11 , wherein multiple printed layers deposited by the 3D printer contain portions of multiple simulated organs and a portion of at least one transition layer. 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing a simulator, the method comprising:
 downloading files to a three-dimensional (3D) printer that define the size, shape, configuration, position, and physical parameters of simulated organs that the simulator is to comprise;   downloading files to the 3D printer that define transition layers that are to be provided between the simulated organs, the transition layers defining anatomical planes between the simulated organs; and   3D printing the simulator using the 3D printer and the downloaded files in a continuous process in which printed layers are sequentially deposited one by one until the entire simulator and each of its simulated organs has been completed.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein multiple printed layers deposited by the 3D printer comprise portions of multiple simulated organs and a portion of at least one transition layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the transition layers simulate adhesion between adjacent simulated organs that would be encountered if the actual organs were dissected during surgical procedure. 
     
     
         16 . A three-dimensional (3D) printed simulator that simulates at least a portion of a body, the simulator comprising:
 a first simulated organ made of a first material;   a second simulated organ made of a second material; and   a transition layer made of a third material provided between the first simulated organ and the second simulated organ, the transition layer defining an anatomical plane between the first and second simulated organs,   the first simulated organ, the second simulated organ, and the transition layer fabricated by a 3D printer en bloc.   
     
     
         17 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 16 , wherein the first simulated organ comprises a simulated soft-tissue organ and the second simulated organ comprises simulated bone. 
     
     
         18 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 16 , wherein the first simulated organ, the second simulated organ, and the transition layer are fabricated by a 3D printer using a computer-aided design (CAD) model created with segmented axial computed tomography (CT) images. 
     
     
         19 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 16 , wherein the third material includes varying thickness throughout the transition layer. 
     
     
         20 . The 3D-printed simulator of  claim 16 , wherein the third material affects adhesion between the first simulated organ and the second simulated organ.